Men should take health more seriously

Men and women are often compared in today's society and viewed as equals. Men are living longer, closing the gap on life expectancy, and women are fighting discrimination in the workplace, closing the gap on salary disparities.

But despite how much the two sexes are expected to view each other as equals, there are still distinct differences between men and women, including priorities on health care.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that men don't seek medical care as often as women do. Men are statistically more inclined to smoke and drink alcohol than women.

Men are also susceptible to conditions that affect them alone. Prostate cancer is one of the diseases unique to males, and one of the most common forms of cancer in men, just behind skin cancers, offers the American Cancer Society.

In an effort to educate men about what healthcare topics they should be concerned with the most, and to encourage men to step up on routine medical visits, this men's health quiz, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is offered.

Answer true or false to the questions below and then look just below for the answers.

â¢Adults should engage in 15 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.

False: Thirty minutes of exercise is recommended daily.

â¢Exposure to substances in the workplace can impact a man's ability to have healthy children. True: Certain chemicals present can impact sperm health and the propensity for conception.

â¢Males are more likely to die in a workplace injury than women. True: In 2005, statistics indicated that men accounted for 93 percent of workplace fatalities.

â¢Children are the only ones who need vaccinations, and shots are unnecessary after age 21. False: Adults should acquire routine vaccinations for tetanus and influenza at the least.

â¢Suicide rates are higher for men than women. False.

â¢More men die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. True: Although it is widely believed that prostate cancer causes the most fatalities.

â¢Cancer is the leading cause of death for both men and women. False: Heart disease is the biggest concern for men and women. Lowering cholesterol, exercising and getting routine health checkups can help prevent heart attacks and heart disease.